Self‑driving Cars’ Pros & Cons

One recent afternoon, my Tesla Model 3 was in self-driving mode. Ahead of me were two other cars. At one crossroads, all three of us were turning left. But those two cars broke a basic traffic rule by turning into the outside lane. My Tesla, strictly following the traffic rules, hugged the inside lane.

At that moment, I thought of my teenage son, Milo, who is learning to drive. When he gets his licence(驾照), I hope he’ll drive better than those two human drivers, if not as well as my Tesla.

Driving is perhaps the most dangerous everyday activity. Here in the United States, about 43,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2021. Teen drivers, with little driving experience, are four times more likely to crash than drivers over 20.

After years of reporting on driver safety, I know why the risk is so high. The roadway is often too complex for the human brain to handle. Cars, pedestrians(行人), and cyclists rush by, diving in and out of our view. Our brains can get tired and miss things. We are human, with biologically limited attention.

Machines are different. With its many cameras and sensors(传感器), my Tesla“sees”and responds to everything, in every direction, all at once. Milo, however, can only look one way at a time. The software also drives better than my son at night and in the rain.

But, of course, self-driving cars aren't perfect, at least for now. Sometimes the software suddenly stops working, forcing me to take control. And according to a U. S. report, Tesla’s Autopilot was involved in 956 crashes between January 2018 and August 2023. Even so, David Strayer,a scientist at the University of Utah, believes self-driving cars can save many more lives than they risk taking.“After all, they don't get drunk, tired, or distracted. And they only speed when the driver tells them to,”he says.

Perhaps, like my teenage son, self-driving technology is still maturing. One day, these machines will be good enough to rule the road. At that point, I can tell Milo just to relax and enjoy the ride,without worrying about driving.